Sinister Chili Verde

I entered (and won) a chili cookoff at Brooklyn Botanic Garden in NYC a few years ago with this recipe. The secret is lots of peppers, so that the flavor comes from the peppers rather than from stale old chili powder. It looks scary, but trust me–it is totally approachable by all but the weakest eaters. Here you go:

Roast the chili peppers, peel, and remove all the seeds. The heat of the chilies is in the white placenta that connects the seeds to the flesh of the pepper. Cleaning the chilies is the key step, and makes the difference between a teasingly hot taste and one that is potentially painful. Rinse the chilies
after seeding if they still seem too fiery.

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil on medium heat and add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until onions start to wilt and turn translucent. Add garlic. Chop roasted chili peppers and add to pot, along with tomatillos. Add broth and spices and bring to a simmer. Add remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. If it is too caliente, wait—it should become slightly milder as the flavors meld together. Let everything simmer for at least 45 minutes, check seasoning, and serve.